GAA and BOI renew football sponsorship

The GAA and Bank of Ireland have announced the renewal of their sponsorship agreement of the GAA Football Championship for another four years up to and including 2007.

The current four-year sponsorship deal expires at the end of 2003 and will be the tenth year of the Bank’s sponsorship of the Football Championship.

Des Crowley, chief executive, retail financial services announced the bank’s decision to renew the sponsorship at a special Christmas lunch.

Mr. Crowley said: "The Football Championship is the biggest and most popular sporting event in the country - 96% of the public are aware of the Championship, 69% watch it on TV and a cumulative figure of 1.2 million people attended the 2002 Bank of Ireland Football Championship.

"We know the sponsorship has worked very well. It is the best-known sponsorship in the country with an awareness level of 52% and our marketing support programme is the most awarded advertising campaign in Ireland".

President of the GAA Sean McCague said: "It is an exciting time for the championship, with the introduction of the qualifiers two years ago providing us with more games, a host of novel pairings and the prominence of teams such as Sligo, Westmeath and Limerick adding great interest to the competition".

Bank of Ireland’s relationship with the GAA began in 1979 with the sponsorship of the GAA All Stars.

In 1994, the Bank became the first and only sponsor to date of the Football Championship. In 2000 the sponsorship was renewed for a further four years up to and including 2003.